The provision of a Positron Emission Tomography, or PET, scanner would enhance Orange's cancer treatment capabilities and Member for Orange Phil Donato was on the front-foot last week in quizzing Premier Dominic Perrottet on the chances of Orange receiving funding for one.

His query came shortly after Dubbo's PET scanner came on line as part of its $35m Western Cancer Centre which opened in September last year.

Mr Donato accused the NSW Government of playing politics with the funding, which he said should have gone to Orange, the recognised hub for health in western NSW.

"It made no sense really," Mr Donato said.

"The community raised a lot of money in getting Western Care Lodge up and running for this very purpose. And Orange health services is the epicentre for western NSW, you've the specialist in town, we've got the facilities, we've got the medical resources here and the only reason it went to Dubbo was pure politics.

"That's the reality of it."

Senior Oncologist at Orange Health Service Rob Zielinski said a PET scanner, which can help diagnose some cancers and reveal the effectiveness of treatments for others, was the "missing piece" at the Forest Road health campus.

He said the machines are also now being used for neurological work including dementia.

"I think there is a huge need for it," Dr Zielinski, who also works in Bathurst, said.

"There's more and more PET indications that are coming and that will only grow in time. Having a PET scanner in Orange will help service the Bathurst population.

"Because most of the Bathurst population still heads down to Nepean [rather than travel to Dubbo]."

Dr Zielinski said their were examples of Local Health Districts having more than one PET scanner, particularly in metropolitan areas.

"It will result in more timely diagnoses and earlier treatment because there is bottlenecks both in Sydney and Dubbo, there's just a demand problem."

PET Scanners aren't cheap, with a price tag of between $3m and $9m, plus infrastructure.

"Having a PET scanner would be considered a critical piece of equipment for a cancer centre and we've had a cancer centre in Orange for 10 years," Dr Zielinksi said. "We're not world-class without a pet scanner. That's for sure."